Complaint against health minister Dhakal filed at CIAA

Some activists today filed a complaint against minister for Health and Population Bhanu Bhakta Dhakal at the anti-corruption watch-dog.
‘Enough is Enough’ campaigners have registered a complaint against Dhakal and some other government officials at the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) for their allegedly involvement in embezzling state funds while procuring medical equipment amid the battle against the Covid-19 pandemic.
In the complaint registered at the CIAA today afternoon, they have demanded an investigation into the alleged corruption in the medical equipment procurement.
They have also sought investigation against secretary at the Ministry of Health Laxman Aryal, director general at the Department of Health Dipendra Raman Singh, owner of the Omni Group Durga Prasad Belwase, Bhanu Bhakta Bhattarai and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Omni Group Tulhari Singh Bhusal.
In their complaint, the activists have categorically claimed that the alleged corruption took place in collusion with deputy prime minister Ishwar Pokharel, Prime Minister's chief political advisor Bishnu Rimal, former health secretary Yadav Koirala and former director general of the Department of Health Mahendra Shrestha. Incumbent secretary Aryal has been transferred to the Health Ministry after the infamous Omni-episode that has
Earlier, ‘Enough is Enough’ campaigners had sought information from the Health Ministry regarding the government's expenses in the battle against the Covid-19 pandemic by using the Right to Information (RTI).
The government had bypassed minimum quotation and purchased medical equipment and kits at high rate from Omni Group raising many eyebrows and made the entire procurement process suspicious. Likewise, it was revealed that coronavirus test kits worth almost Rs 70 million that the government purchased from China did not meet the World Health Organisation (WHO) standards.
After pressure from public, the Public Procurement Monitoring Office has sought clarification from Omni Group as to why it should not be blacklisted, as recommended by the Department of Health Services, for the alleged irregularities in the procurement and supply of medical goods for the Covid-19 emergency.
One month ago, on June 23 the parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has opened a formal investigation into alleged corruption over allegations that government officials procured essential medicines and health products at inflated prices, taking undue advantage of the Covid-19 pandemic. But the mini parliament’s probe has not moved ahead since a month as the government of KP Sharma Oli has been protecting corrupt ministers including health minister Dhakal.

Nepal eliminates trachoma as a public health problem

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has validated Nepal for having eliminated trachoma as a public health problem – a milestone, as the country becomes the first in WHO’s South-East Asia Region to defeat the world’s leading infectious cause of blindness.
A letter acknowledging validation was presented yesterday to the minister of State for Health and Population Padma Kumari Aryal by the WHO South-East Asia Regional Director Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh and the WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus in Geneva, Switzerland, where the World Health Assembly is taking place.
"Nepal’s achievement is commendable and results from strong political commitment, intense community engagement and impressive leadership demonstrated by civil society,” Dr Khetrapal Singh said on the occasion.
"This remarkable achievement demonstrates what political commitment and sustained partner support can do,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO director-general. “It is a big step towards health for everyone and comes at a time when Nepal accelerates its fight against other neglected tropical diseases."
In 2002, Nepal stepped up its efforts to eliminate the disease with the establishment of a national trachoma programme. From 2002 to 2005, following the implementation of sustained control activities, the prevalence of active – inflammatory – trachoma fell by 40 per cent.
The government – through the ministry of Water Supply and Sanitation – provided incentives to local communities and districts to build and maintain latrines, measures that were crucial to improving sanitation and reducing disease-carrying flies.
The national trachoma programme collaborated with the Education Ministry to include a module on trachoma in the school curriculum to increase awareness.
"We managed to accelerate awareness about the disease and sanitation through education campaigns involving brochures, posters, flipcharts, radio announcements, and programmes in schools and village health centres,” executive director of Nepal Netra Jyoti Sangh Sailesh Mishra said, adding that these were run by teachers and local health volunteers.
Approximately 30,000 operations were provided to manage trichiasis, and almost 15 million doses of azithromycin were distributed. Between 2002 and 2014, eye hospitals and dozens of eye centres and clinics with trained staff were established across Nepal.
Azithromycin is donated by the pharmaceutical company Pfizer through the International Trachoma Initiative and was delivered in Nepal by Nepal Netra Jyoti Sangh with support from the United States Agency for International Development-funded ENVISION project, implemented by RTI International.